Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Training is on the up. Weather is nice. No uni this week. Life is good.

I have backed off from my rehab gym program to finally focus on being a bike rider again. And boy oh boy it is fun. Had a couple of glorious days riding out and about in the hills north/north east of Melbourne and really feel like I am getting back in the swing. Nonetheless, time is in short supply with my comeback race marked in for the Tour of Thailand starting on April 1st so I need to get my arse into gear that's for sure! After Thailand it will be onward to the Tour of Korea (South that is...); and that should see me with a pretty solid start to the season and have me rocking for the big momma.

The tour to end all tours. Oh yes it's the Tour of Qinghai Lake, where you start at 2000 metres and climb up towards 4000 metres with volatile wind and weather just to make sure life ain't easy. Life won't be easy. Never being one to back away from a challenge I'll just have to see how I go. Check out some of Mark's photos to get some idea on just the scale of the place.

In other Asian cycling happenings I got some interesting feedback from guys on the team about the first ever UCI race staged in India over the weekend. The reviews ranged from midly critical to still struggling to breath after severe pollution inhalation. Maybe I didn't miss much. Ozcycling sum it up pretty well!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Been looking about and hoping to score a good deal like most cyclists do, however, I am also curious in some recommendations having never, yes, never bought a decent pair of sunnies before. That's right, never! I am fairly certain that the only sunnies I have ever actually bought were a cheap pair of Euro sunnies off Warren at BikeNOW a few years back. Thanks Wocka!

I have lived off old hand me downs, ones bought by mum about ten years ago, or, for the last 2 years off cheap 'Foakleys" from Langkawi given to me by Ben King

Are there any sunnies that don't fog up too much when it gets wet? What about interchangeable lenses, does anyone actually swap out lenses all the time? (If I sound like an idiot with no idea, that's because I have no idea)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

So me being lazy and stingy has contributed to me not buying a Ride mag having already read someone elses version cover to cover. So fortunately someone else has scanned in my little piece from the most recent edition:

Whilst getting all soppy and emotional in looking back at that picture, I realised in the last 3 months I've come quite a way. To think, a month with a cast, another 3 weeks with a moon boot, and the remaining time with a weak foot, a sore hip and a pretty special limp meant that life has been challenging.

I've built up my riding from the initial pedal on Raoul's SLAM pedals with just my left leg, to some tentative but joyful double legged wind trainer rides all culminating in that first ride down beach road! From beach road it was 2/3 of the way up Mt Hotham and from there it's been a steady progression of gym and rehab sessions with whatever riding I can manage dispersed in between. My holy trinity of Doctor: Andrew Garnham, Physio: Nat McColl and Masseur: Arnaud Domange have helped make it all possible. These guys all do their job incredibly well, but it would be nice not to have to see them so often!

I supposed it comes as no shock to most cyclists out there, but the one aspect I was, and still am missing a bit (make that a lot), is the social side of training as a cyclist. Everything I do currently is all about my functionality, everything relates to mobilising my healed tendons so I can regain full ankle movement and pedal freely. Similarly, I am doing a lot of work with my left glute to get it back and fireing so I can pedal hard again with no issues. Nevertheless, all these tedious steps are most certainly necessary, and speaking from experience with my last pelvis fracture; there is light at the end of the tunnel. One day everything just clicks, pedalling goes from a frustrating struggle to control your limbs to a thoughtless and soothing motion that makes you remember why you love riding a bike

So I can't wait to get back out on some of the bunch rides, to inflict some pain and likewise have some pain inflicted upon me. Because the bottom line is, we're all just a bunch of psychopathic sadists. You know you are.

Monday, February 1, 2010

So if you haven't stolen someone's copy of Ride yet, you should. Have a peek in the 'Snippets' section and you'll have to squint to catch my glorious 15 micro-seconds of fame from my hospital bed in China. Mark Gunter, one of the photographers following the race, was first on the scene of the crash and got some very up close and personal snaps. He came and visited me in hospital the next day to say G'day and take a few pics. Top bloke and a top photographer.

Later on back in Aus I got my hands on some of the photos he took, however, I was trying not to dwell too much on all things crash related so I never really looked them over.

Only this evening did I remember them annd think, yeh it's time, let's have a squizz.

Well I had one squizz, followed by another, followed by the thought that I MUST post these photos; they are insane! Revolting on one hand, but fascitnating on the other. Frankly, I can't believe I did a 3 hour ride and a gym session yesterday. Out of all the rocky ditch crashes going round, I reckon I came off pretty lightly!

OK, now seriously, these photos are pretty rough, so you've been warned.